Next Meeting MONDAY September 28 Sacramento CactusThorny & Succulent Society September Issues 2015 | Volume 56, IX Photo by Gerhard Bock Gerhard Photo by SEPTEMBER PROGRAM ANNUAL COUNTRY STORE - SEPTEMBER 28th

e have an exciting meeting this month! Our annual Country Store is finally here! Members and welcomed guests will find a feeding frenzy of , food, plus a silent auction of succulent related items. Raffle tickets are 50¢. Members may donate plants to each of the following tables: , Other Succulents, and House Plants, whichW include non-succulent plants (i.e., bulbs, geraniums), and related items (extra pots, labels, etc.) Green thumb gardeners may donate their extra produce – tomatoes, zucchini, jars of jam, etc., to the Produce Table. Those who are working their way through Julia Child’s cookbooks may donate to the Sweet Shoppe where all things must be butter-and sugar-laden. Please place your baked goods on small paper plates and cover with plastic wrap for ease of raffling. To finish off the evening is the Succulent Silent Auction where donations of Succulent related items – books, tee shirts, better plants, kitschy stuff – will be fought over by those who haven’t spent all their money at the Sweet Shoppe. All proceeds go to the club’s treasury for future cactus and succulent adventures. Bring your donations, bring your money, bring your appetite and bring boxes to haul home your loot. This is a non-business meeting; doors open at 6:30 and we get rolling promptly at 7:00 pm.

Bring your cuttings or pups to the Country Store! SEPTEMBER SUCCULENT AND CACTUS MINI SHOW Mini Show Descriptions by Steve Goodman. Photos by Gerhard Bock

Succulent • KALANCHOE Kalanchoe is a large genus of succulents in the family Crassulacaea and has a very wide distribu- tion area: all of Africa south of the Sahara des- ert, Madagascar, islands of the Indian Ocean, India and Malaysia. Most of the inter- esting to collectors are coming from Madagascar or South Africa. These species are generally sub-shrubs with succulent leaves. The genera Bryophyllum and Kitchingia are generally now in- cluded in Kalanchoe. Contrary to other members of the family Crassulacaea that have parts in multiples of 5, Kalanchoe have 4 con- nected petals forming a tube, 4 sepals, 4 carpels,

Kalanchoe luciae ‘Fantastic’

and 8 stamens. They should be planted in well drained soil and care should be taken to avoid searing afternoon sun. A number of species can take temperatures close to freezing for short times, but none will really toler- ate any frost. The species that have pubescent (fuzzy) leaves can generally tolerate Phoenix-type intense heat without trouble particularly if kept in light shade. The species with smooth leaves are a little less tolerant, but fare generally better than most other Crassulaceae in such hot conditions. In general, Kalanchoe do better with bright shade, although some species are comfortable with some direct sun, while others tolerate shade.

Kalanchoe ‘Fang’ AUGUST SUCCULENT & CACTUS MINI SHOW WINNERS SUCCULENT: HAWORTHIA / GASTERIA CACTUS: ARICARPUS 1st(T): Haworthia parksiana, Keith Taylor 1st: Ariocarpus fissuratus, Keith Taylor 1st(T): Haworthis limifolia variegata, Michelle Egan 2nd: Ariocarpus fissuratus, Mary Schuett 2nd(T): Gasteria armstrongii x batesiana, Steve Goodman 3rd: Aricarpus retussus, Michelle Egan 2nd(T): Haworthia emelyae v. comptoniana, Mystery Person HM: Ariocarpus fissuratus, Steve Goodman 3rd(T): Haworthia viscosa, Martha Bleshman 3rd(T): Haworthia limifolia, Mary Schuett HM: Gasteria “Ice”, Jerry Friis HM: Haworthia maughanii, JoEllen Arnold Cactus • The genus Astrophytum is comprised of 4 species of globose to short cylindrical cacti and one sprawling, Astrophytum myriostigma octopus-like member. The first four were discovered between the years 1828 and 1845. Two of these are spineless and two have prominent spines. While each species is quite distinct they all feature a star-shaped appearance when viewed from above. Hence the name Astrophytum, which means star . Astrophy- tum species have been frequently compared to marine life, in particular Astrophytum asterias for its striking similarity to sea urchins. The fifth member of this group was newly discovered in 2001. Astrophytum ca- put-madusae is quite distinct from the other members of the genus and actually very distinct from all other cacti genera as well. Hence, many enthusiasts feel it should be part of its own genus and consider it to be the sole species in the genus Digitostigma. The name Digitostigma describes the long digit-like tubercles that grow something like an octopus. Despite the notice- able differences, all 5 species including caput-madusae feature a sort of flocking of white trichomes (or

bumps) on the epidermis, although in cultivation some forms are bred for their lack of flocking. Plants in this genus also all have yellow flowers with fuzzy floral tubes. Some have a red-centered flower, all are radially symmet- ric and eventually turn into dry, fuzzy seed pods bearing relatively large, black seeds that are among the easiest to germinate. The four original Astrophytum members have been extremely popular in cultivation and numerous exotic hybrids have been created that accentuate various features such as amount of flocking, number of ribs, lack of spines, etc. With the uniqueness of Astrophytum caput-madusae coupled with its late discovery, it is currently one of the most sought after cactus species by collectors world-wide. And in that sense, it fits in quite well with the other Astrophytum species. Astrophytum is a Chihuahuan desert native occurring in north/central Mexico and Astrophytum ornatum southern Texas. FRIENDS OF THE SACRAMENTO CACTUS & SUCCULENT SOCIETY Members always Next Meeting Monday September 28th, 7:00pm Save 10% Shepard Garden & Arts Center on every purchase! 3330 McKinley Blvd Sacramento, CA 95816 center phone: (916) 808-8800 NOT A MEMBER? Call ahead or join at For publication submissions email: the door to save 10% www.sacramentocss.org [email protected] by the 5th of the month and receive an PLANT additional SALES $10 off! FRIENDS OF THE SCSS MEMBERSHIP Thank you succulent enthusiasts for renewing CELEBRATINGyour membership! 10 New YEARS guests are OF invited to join! Dues in the Society are $15 per person and $20 per family membership for one calendar year. Members always Arboretum All-Stars Save 10% MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO: on every purchase! For 10SCSS years (Sacramento UC Davis Arboretum Cactus & All-Stars have providedSucculent California Society) with a foundation for Bulbine frutescens creating attractive, easy-care landscapes that NOT A MEMBER? MAIL TO: Cape balsam save water. We’re celebrating this fall with a Call ahead or join at Ginger Martin, 9199 Locust St., large selection of Arboretum All-Stars, California the door to save 10% Elk Grove CA 95624 and receive an PLANT natives,Questions: and other regionally-appropriate 916-685-1032 plants additional SALES orsure [email protected] to make your yard shine! $10 off! Saturday CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF OCTOBER 10 9 - 11 AM 11 AM - 1 PM Arboretum All-Stars MEMBERS ONLY PUBLIC SALE For 10 years UC Davis Arboretum All-Stars have provided California with a foundation for Bulbine frutescens creating attractive, easy-care landscapes that Saturday Cape balsam save water. We’re celebrating this fall with a OCTOBER 24 large selection of Arboretum All-Stars, California 9 AM - 1 PM natives, and other regionally-appropriate plants PUBLIC SALE sure to make your yard shine!

UC Davis Arboretum Teaching Nursery Saturday Garrod Drive (across from Vet School) NOVEMBER 14 SCSS NAME BADGESSaturday 9 AM - 1 PM arboretum.ucdavis.edu Any member who never has had a badge is CLEARANCE SALE! (530) 752-4880 welcome to purchase OCTOBERa new redesigned badge 10 for $10.00. Sign up with9 - Michelle11 AM Egan11 at AM the - 1 PM next meeting or callMEMBERS at (916) 424-5233. ONLY PUBLIC SALE

Saturday OCTOBER 24 9 AM - 1 PM PUBLIC SALE

UC Davis Arboretum Teaching Nursery Saturday Garrod Drive (across from Vet School) NOVEMBER 14 9 AM - 1 PM arboretum.ucdavis.edu CLEARANCE SALE! (530) 752-4880